MERIWETHER LEWIS

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1610 OWENSVILLE RD.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22901

PHONE: 434-293-9304

PARENT AND

STUDENT HANDBOOK

2013-2014

Principal: Kimberly Cousins

Assistant Principal: Brandi Robertson

Office Associates:

Sue Fortune and Kim Nash

Albemarle County Mission/Goals3

About the School4

Principal’s Message 5

School Calendar 2013-146

School Hours and Attendance Procedures7

Attendance Policies9

Student and Emergency Procedures10

School Programs and Procedures11

Student Support Services15

Instructional Programs16

Student Policies and Expectations17

Communication19

ALBEMARLE COUNTY MISSION AND GOALS

Our Vision

All learners believe in their power to embrace learning, to excel, and to own their future.

Our Mission

The core purpose of Albemarle County Public Schools is to establish a community of learning, through relationships, relevance, and rigor, one student at a time.

Our One Student-Centered Goal

All Albemarle County Public Schools students will graduate having actively mastered the lifelong-learning skills they need to succeed as 21st century learners, workers, and citizens.

Our Objectives

The following five objectives represent our commitments for how we intend to achieve our one student-centered goal.

  1. We will engage every student.

ACPS will engage every student in meaningful, authentic and rigorous work through the use of instructional best practices and supportive technologies that will motivate students to be self-directed and inquisitive lifelong learners.

  1. We will implement balanced assessments.

ACPS will implement a balanced assessment system that accurately reflects student demonstration and mastery of our Lifelong-Learner Competencies.

  1. We will improve opportunity and achievement.

ACPS will improve lifelong-learning opportunity and achievement for all students and enrollment groups.

  1. We will create and expand partnerships.

ACPS will create and expand partnerships with parents, community and business leaders to fulfill their essential roles as actively engaged partners in supporting student achievement and lifelong-learning outcomes for student success.

  1. We will optimize resources.

ACPS will optimize all resources to achieve the school division’s strategic goal and lifelong-learning outcomes for student success.

Our School Mission

Meriwether Lewis Elementary School engages the hearts, bodies, and minds of all students for lifelong learning and success in a global community.

About Our School

Meriwether Lewis Elementary School opened in 1988. We have enrolled approximately 400 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Our faculty is made up of 22 classroom teachers, resource teachers, specialists, support teachers, and teaching assistants. Our teacher/pupil ratio average is approximately twenty-one to one. We attempt to keep lower class sizes in the primary grades.

Meriwether Lewis is a school that works hard to keep up with the current resources and best practices in education. Our school is equipped with wireless computer connects, interactive boards in each classroom, mobile lap-top carts, and iTouch technology. It is part of our mission to grow as lifelong learners, which is best done byproviding meaningful engaging studentlearning experiences.

Mascot: Bluebird

School Colors: Blue and White


Principals’ Message

When families, staff members, students, and the community work together in a collaborative and positive manner, a school will always be a better place for learning. Meriwether Lewis Elementary School is a true example of such a partnership.

Research supports that parent involvement is high on the list of factors contributing to student success at school. Take time each day to talk to your children about their experiences in school. Your consistent interest in their progress and personal development in school will motivate them to want to learn.

Open, consistent communication is necessary among the administration, staff, and familiesand contributes to overall success. Maintain communication with your child’s teachers. If you have a question or concern, please contact your child’s teacher and ask questions. Parent conferences are scheduled in the fall. You may also request to meet with your child’s teacher anytime. Our teachers and other staff members are committed to providing the best educational experiences for your child.

When families, students, and staff feel that their thoughts and perspectives are valued and received openly, it creates the best possible environment for meaningful interactions and life-long learning. It is important that we each do our part to maintain a genuine partnership for our children to grow and achieve success at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School.

We look forward to a delightful school year with your children!

Kimberly Cousins and Brandi Robertson

Meriwether Lewis School Calendar2013– 2014

August 19Open House 3:30 – 5:00

August 21School Opens –First Day for Students

September 2Labor Day – School Closed

September 10Back to School Night – 6:00 -8:00

October 22 Student Picture Day

October 25End of 1st 9 Weeks Marking Period

October 28Student Holiday - School Closed

November 4-5Student Holidays – School Closed

End of October-Beginning of NovemberParent Conferences

November 27-29Thanksgiving Holiday – School Closed

December 23 -January 3Winter Break – School Closed

January 6Classes Resume

January 16Early Dismissal

January 17End of 2nd 9 Week Marking Period; Early Dismissal

January 20Holiday – School Closed

January 21Student Holiday – School Closed

February 17Student Holiday– School Closed

March 27End of 3rd 9 Week Marking Period

March 28Student Holiday – School Closed

March 31-April 4Spring Break – School Closed

April 7Classes Resume

May 5-9Teacher Appreciation Week

May 26Memorial Day – School Closed

June 6Last Day of School; End of 4th Quarter

Make Up Days: 1st two are not made up; 3rd – 6/9; 4th – 6/10; 5th – 6/11;…

School Hours and Attendance Procedures

School Hours:

School begins promptly at 7:55 AM – Please have students here by 7:50 AM

Students are not admitted inside the building until 7:35 AM

School dismissal is at 2:25 PM

Our office hours are: 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM

The EDEP operates from 2:25 PM until 6:00 PM

Arrivals:School buses deliver students to school starting at 7:45 AM from the rear bus loop. Parents can drop-off students starting at 7:35 AM from the car loop in front of the school. Please be patient;do not pass other vehicles in the loop for purpose of pedestrian and vehicle safety. You must park in the lot if you are leaving your vehicle.

Late arrivals, after 7:55 AM:Students must be signed in at the school office by the parent/guardian. The office staff will issue a late pass to your child, which will admit them to class late. Students that arrive after this time are recorded as late. Your child’s instructional day and classroom instructional activities, and essential announcements are all reviewed within theFIRST 15 MINUTES of the day. A tardy student misses important information, as well as, disrupts student learning when arriving late.

Dismissal: The dismissal bells begin at 2:25 PM to release students from their classrooms. Students riding the bus will embark in the bus loop. Students being picked up by parents/guardians will wait in front of the school until their ride pulls up curbside in the car loop. Students will not be released unless there is an adult to escort them past the sidewalk. If you are coming in to the school, you must you’re your car in the parking lot. This is to ensure supervision and child safety.

Early Dismissals: Just as a timely arrival to school is important, it is also necessary for students to remain in class until the end of the school day. Prior to dismissal, students obtain all the materials necessary for homework assignments. An early dismissal may result in a lack of preparation for the following day’s lessons. Any student leaving school prior to dismissal is considered to be dismissed early (equivalent to a tardy arrival). You are encouraged to set appointments that will not interfere with pre-dismissal routines.

Dismissal Plans:When students check in or out during the schoolday, they must be signed in or out with permission by a parent or an adult in the front office.

At the elementary level, knowledge of where your child is going after school is very important.For instance, if your child takes a specific bus home each day, this will be considered the student’s normal dismissal plan.

If your child will not be following his/her normal dismissal plan, a written note to the teacher is required. If your child does not have a written note, he or she will be dismissed to their regular daily plan.Though we will do our best in a case of an emergency, any changes to your child’s dismissal plans should not come over the telephone. It is for the safety of your child that permission to make a change must be submitted in writing. We cannot always, and consistently, verify callers as the parent or guardian. This will help ensure the safety of your child. We will absolutelynot release children to unauthorized adults without written permission directly from a parent/guardian. (This includes emergency early closing days.) Otherwise, students will only be released to those individuals named on the student’s emergency card.

**Please try not to call the office after 2:00 PM to change dismissal plans. It is difficult to make changes after this time.

Visitors during the school day: You must make prior arrangements with the teacher. You will not be permitted to go to the classroom unless the teacher is expecting you. This is a safety issue and helps avoid disruption of instruction. If the teacher is not expecting you or you don’t have an appointment, the office will not allow you to go to the classroom. If you need to leave something for your child, you can do so in the office and we will make sure the item is delivered to your child.

Parent Volunteers:Meriwether Lewis owes a debt of gratitude to its many dedicated parent volunteers. On any school day, parents can be observed assisting classroom teachers, the media specialist, and other staff. Information about the parent volunteer program is sent home at the beginning of the year. We encourage parent volunteering as a positive connection between home and school, which benefits everyone in the community.Volunteers need to be registered in the office prior to volunteering.

All volunteers and visitors must check-in and checkout in the front office and receive a visitor/volunteer badge. You will be required to return to the office if you do not have a badge.

Attendance Policies

It is critically important that students do not miss any instruction to provide them the best opportunity for academic success. In order to assist parents and students in a cooperative effort for good attendance, the following procedures/guidelines have been implemented:

The state of Virginia requires schools to report the number of students who were absent more than ten (10) days. As well, the state of Virginia maintains firm compulsory attendance and truancy laws to assure the best possible attendance for all students.

  • Parents are to contact the school office by 8:30 AM to let us know of your child’s absence. If the parent does not contact the school, school staff (as required by law) will attempt to reach parents (at work or home) of students who are absent.
  • Please send a note with your child when he/she returns to school outlining the reason for their absence.
  • Students are expected to make up any assignments missed while they are absent.
  • If a student is absent for a total of seven (7) days, the principal will notify the parents in writing of the days missed and the concern for absenteeism.
  • When a student has missed a total of fifteen (15) days, the parents will be notified in writing and asked to attend a conference with the Principal. Information concerning the absenteeism will be discussed, and a plan will be developed to address the need for improved attendance.
  • Albemarle County School board policy, School Board Policy JED-AP,gives the principal the discretion to deny credit or promotion to a student who misses more than sixteen(16) days during the school year.
  • If a student reaches a total of twenty (20) days of absences, the parent will conference with the Principal and other staff members. A referral may be made to the Albemarle County Magistrate’s office for truancy or failure to comply with Virginia’s compulsory attendance law.

Consistent student attendance is vital in maintaining good school performance. While children should not come to school when ill, they should attend regularly. When planning family vacations, please adhere to the school calendar. No assignments can replace direct teacher instruction.

Student Illness and Emergency Procedures

Is my child well enough to go to school?Parents are frequently concerned about whether to keep a sick child at home or not. Normally, children should stay at home if you observe any of the following:

  • A fever of 100 degrees, or more, should remain at home for 24 hours after the temperature has returned to normal without medication.
  • Vomited or had diarrhea, should remain at home for 24 hours after it has stopped.
  • Persistent cough.
  • Open or draining sores.
  • Swollen or draining eyes (especially symptoms of Pink Eye) OR ears.
  • Head lice or nits are present.

If a child becomes ill during the school day, school staff will contact parents/guardians to pick up the child.

Our School Nurse: The school nurse is usually in the Clinic from 8:15 AM until 2:15 PM each school day. She is available to help students who become ill, injured, or need to take medication at school. She is also a wonderful resource for parents who have questions about student health.

It is critical that parents/guardians keep the school notified of any changes in emergency contact information for their child(ren).

Medication:Inaccordance with the Albemarle County Schools Policies and Regulations regarding students taking medication at school, parents must be aware of the following:

  • Whenever possible, medication should be scheduled outside of school hours.
  • If prescription medication is to be administered at school, a ‘medication form’ (available from our nurse), must be completed and signed by a physician. A new form has to be completed for each school year.
  • If non-prescription medication is to be administered at school, parents must complete a ‘medication form’ for each form of medication.
  • Prescription medication cannot be sent to school with your child. It must be brought to school by the parent/guardian.
  • All medications are kept in a locked closet in the clinic and administered by authorized staff. However, no medication will be dispensed to a childwithout the completed and signed ‘medication form’ on file in the school office.

Allergies and Medical Conditions:

  • If your child has severe allergic reactions or conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or heart disease, it is important that you let the school know. We will need to be prepared with instructions from you and your child’s physician regarding any medication to administer, procedures to follow, and how to contact you immediately.
  • PLEASE inform your child’s teacher, the office staff, and the After- School staff of any medical conditions that your child might have.
  • If a child is recommended for partial or full exclusion from physical education, or any other normal class activities for more than one (1) day, the school must receive a written statement from your child’s physician.

School Programs and Procedures

Bus Transportation:Transportation is provided for all students. Bus stops and times are sent to parents prior to school opening in August, and are available in our school office. Bus times are always subject to change during the first week or two of school, as it takes several days before they are completely settled. We appreciate your patience during this period of adjustment.

If a student is to ride a different bus or to get off at a different bus stop, his/her parents must send a signed, dated note to the school granting permission for this change.

The note must contain:

  • Where the child is going
  • With whom the child is going
  • Date
  • Teacher’s name
  • Parent/guardian signature

This information must be given to the classroom teacher who will forward it to the office for appropriate action. Please do not give permission notes to the bus driver.

If no notification is received, the student will follow his/her regular method of getting home.

Bus Drivers and Rules: Bus drivers provide an essential service in our educational system. Parents are asked to give their support by requiring their children to obey bus rules and to respect the drivers. A copy of the county “Guidelines for Student Transportation” is sent to each parent and, when appropriate, the student.

Moment of Silence:The Albemarle County School Board policy makes provision for one minute each day that all students must be seated and silent so that every student, in the exercise of his/her individual choice, may meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity which does not interfere with, distract or impede other students in the like exercise of individual choice. We observe a moment of silence daily. You may wish to discuss the use of this time with your child. For more information on this procedure, please refer to policy INDC-R in the Albemarle County Policy manual

Snacks: Students may bring nutritious snacks that are consumed during a designated period each morning. Fruit is highly recommended, as well as other nutritious snacks. Students in grades K-5 may purchase milk or juice to go with their morning snack. Snacks may also be purchased through the cafeteria. Additional information regarding cafeteria services will be sent to families throughout the year.

Cafeteria: Breakfast,snack, and lunch meals are served at Meriwether Lewis. Parents are encouraged to open a prepaid meals account for your child. Every student has an ‘account number’. When they go through the serving line for breakfast, snack, or lunch, they use their account number and their account is debited.

Parents may also use the online system to add money to accounts. The link is:

If you do not want your child to purchase breakfast, snack, ice cream or any ‘a la carte’ items with the money that you send in, you must send in a note with your payment so that the cafeteria will know that. Prepaying avoids the inconvenience of sending lunch money to school daily, and eliminates the hassle of ‘lost lunch money’.